URC Daily Devotion for 4th January 2025
St Luke 8: 4 – 15
When a great crowd gathered and people from town after town came to Jesus, he said in a parable: ‘A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.’ As he said this, he called out, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’ Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that
“looking they may not perceive, and listening they may not understand.”
‘Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.
Reflection
I find it interesting that there are a number of times when the disciples haven’t quite grasped what Jesus has been saying. From their puzzled position they ask what he means when he speaks. In this encounter Jesus’ rationale for speaking in parables is even more interesting. The disciples are expected to understand, but for others, Jesus speaking in parables is not necessarily meant for understanding. But even the disciples don’t understand.
And so Jesus goes further in his explanation of the nature of the seed and what it means. It is about the word of God and how it is heard and grows amongst people.
Sometimes I sow seeds, either in the garden or in plant pots, and am never quite sure whether they will flourish and bear fruit or not. It’s part of reflecting on God’s gift of creation to be able to look at them, and ponder about what is happening and wait to see what will emerge.
Jesus teaches about the word of God being planted in good soil which enables God’s word to take deep root into our lives. It’s about being able to resist times of testing or the distractions that life can bring, such as ‘the riches and pleasure of life.’
Instead, being planted in good soil brings about patient endurance, and the ability to hold fast to God’s word with an honest and good heart.
It’s a bit of a contrast to some aspects of today’s world, when living in the moment, rather than digging deep into life, is seen as a priority.
As I look ahead to the coming year and review what lies ahead, it feels like a good question to ask ‘Is my life going to be embedded in good soil and offer rich fruit?’ Does my faith and the life of the church offer this possibility of growth, development, and the possibility of bringing positive change in this troubled world?
Prayer
Loving and creator God,
in the year that lies ahead,
I pray that you will sow
the seed of your word again in my life.
Open my eyes,
in this your created world,
to see where your seed shoots up.
Help me to listen to the people
in whose lives your word flourishes.
May I be like good soil,
in which your word grows and bears fruit.
Amen.